Decision makers

We call for the boycott and denouncement of TD Canada Trust.

This petition calls for the boycott and denouncement of TD Canada Trust. We are appealing to the people, the customers of TD and all those who stand for the rights and freedoms of all human beings, regardless of race or ethnicity, to stand with us and to boycott and denounce TD for their extra-judicial, discriminatory and racist actions.

Please disseminate as widely as possible, and thank you for your support!

Here is the text of the petition letter:

We, the undersigned, call for the boycott and denouncement of TD Canada Trust, a financial corporation that is also heavily involved in business in the Eastern United States, in light of their discriminatory policy of arbitrarily closing the accounts of those of its customers of Iranian heritage, many of whom are legal immigrants or Canadian citizens. The ostensible reason for TD's actions is the new set of sanctions adopted by the government of Canada. However, TD's actions clearly go above and beyond what has been legally sanctioned by the Canadian government. Their actions are extra-judicial at best, discriminatory in application, and racist in effect.

The Canadian government's own statement makes the scope of the new sanctions explicit. The relevant section (i.e., sec. 5) permits transactions of up to $40 000 not involving in particular certain named institutions, businesses, and governmental officials intimately associated with the Iranian government. However, many of the bank accounts that have been closed belonged to ordinary Iranian immigrants and Iranian-Canadian citizens who had merely sent or received much smaller sums through purely personal transactions (e.g., parents sending money to their children studying in Canada, individuals sending money to parents or other family members who require financial assistance, etc.). Nevertheless, blatantly disregarding the exemptions and exceptions outlined in the new sanctions (sec. 5), TD has taken it upon itself to implement extra-judicial and discriminatory policies that target ordinary Iranians, many of whom are Canadian citizens, rather than adhere to the letter and spirit of the new sanctions and the exemptions and exceptions that are intended to govern their implementation.

The actions of TD are neither necessitated by the law nor by any interest in national security. Rather, their new policy systematically institutionalizes prejudice against those of Iranian heritage. Moreover, their policy is part of a disturbing trend in recent months of discrimination and racism against people of Iranian heritage in a number of Western countries, including the United States and Australia.

There is a long history of discrimination and racism against foreign nationals as well as dual-citizens during wartime or wartime-like situations, including in Canada and the US. It is, therefore, of the utmost importance that discrimination be avoided in seeking compliance with the law. If we are willing to sacrifice justice for any, we have already sacrificed justice for all.

This petition was delivered to:

TD Canada Trust

Letter to

TD Canada Trust

We, the undersigned, call for the boycott and denouncement of TD Canada Trust, a financial corporation that is also heavily involved in business in the Eastern United States, in light of their discriminatory policy of arbitrarily closing the accounts of those of its customers of Iranian heritage, many of whom are Canadian citizens. The ostensible reason for TD's actions is the new set of sanctions adopted by the government of Canada. However, TD's actions clearly go above and beyond what has been legally sanctioned by the Canadian government. Their actions are extra-judicial at best, discriminatory in application, and racist in effect.

The Canadian government's own statement makes the scope of the new sanctions explicit. The relevant section (i.e., sec. 5) permits transactions of up to $40 000 not involving in particular certain named institutions, businesses, and governmental officials intimately associated with the Iranian government. However, many of the bank accounts that have been closed belonged to ordinary Iranian immigrants and Iranian-Canadian citizens who had merely sent or received much smaller sums through purely personal transactions (e.g., parents sending money to their children studying in Canada, individuals sending money to parents or other family members who require financial assistance, etc.). Nevertheless, blatantly disregarding the exemptions and exceptions outlined in the new sanctions (sec. 5), TD has taken it upon itself to implement extra-judicial and discriminatory policies that target ordinary Iranians, many of whom are Canadian citizens, rather than adhere to the letter and spirit of the new sanctions and the exemptions and exceptions that are intended to govern their implementation.

The actions of TD are neither necessitated by the law nor by any interest in national security. Rather, their new policy systematically institutionalizes prejudice against those of Iranian heritage. Moreover, their policy is part of a disturbing trend in recent months of discrimination and racism against people of Iranian heritage in a number of Western countries, including the United States and Australia.

There is a long history of discrimination and racism against foreign nationals as well as dual-citizens during wartime or wartime-like situations, including in Canada and the US. It is, therefore, of the utmost importance that discrimination be avoided in seeking compliance with the law. If we are willing to sacrifice justice for any, we have already sacrificed justice for all.----------------